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Sunday, 1 November 2015

NaNoWriMo: A is for Action and Adventure

Hey! Are you doing National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo)? Follow me this month as I work through the alphabet of great
writing tips, from creating ACTION to getting into the ZONE.

Need a writing buddy? Email me at chase.superman.duffy@gmail.com or comment in my daily posts. We can inspire each other to put down those daily word counts. My goal this year: 5,000 words.

* * *

“A” is for ACTION and ADVENTURE—my favourite kinds of movies and books. Whether it’s Superman or Harry Potter, I like stories that MOVE!

But, sometimes I have trouble writing my own action adventures.

It’s not the plot that gives me the most trouble, though. It’s the
actions sequencing — how to move the characters during a fight or chase
scene.

Here are some tips I’ve learned:

Act out the scene where possible. I’m not saying you should
challenge your little sister to a sword dual, but you could act that out
with pool noodles. Pay attention to body movements and reactions so you
can describe them later.

Keep descriptions short. Action scenes are not the place for
long drawn-out descriptions of the characters and the setting. Save that
for the rest of the story and use this scene to focus on the action.
Use short, choppy sentences.

No monologues, please. Unless you’re aiming for humour and
not action, keep the dialogue short. It’s hard for most people to talk
when they’re running from the bad guys or fending off the enemy.

Learn from other writers. When you read action adventure
books, pay attention to how sentences are constructed, the kinds of
words used, and the descriptions of people, places and things.

AMELIA XERCES DUFFY, the fifth book in the Chase Superman Duffy
adventure series is an action adventure about a young entomologist who
finds herself outrunning insects of unusual sizes. You can contact the
Alberta Canola Producers Commission at www.learncanola.com to find out how to order YOUR copy.

Gotta jet! See you on the “B” side tomorrow.

— Chase Superman Duffy

P.S. – A is also for ADVERBS. Try to avoid them in your writing,
especially the ones that end on “ly.” Often a strong verb will do. For
example, it’s fine for your character to walk softly…but it’s more
powerful if he CREPT.